Scottish Executive

Asylum Seekers

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many school- and nursery-age children are being accommodated in Dungavel House immigration removal centre and whether these children are being educated in local schools.

Peter Peacock: Immigration and asylum issues, including the educational provision for children at Dungavel, are reserved matters.

Central Heating Programme

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of households that have benefited from the Warm Deal initiative and the Central Heating Installation Programme since 1999 contain (a) older people and (b) dependent children.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Information is held by household and so it is not possible to identify the number of individuals that have received measures.

  The number of households to benefit from each of the programmes is as follows:

  Warm Deal

  

 

1999-2000* 
  

2000-01 
  

2001-02 
  

2002-03 
  

Total 
  



Local Authority Programme 
  

22,318 
  

22,600 
  

18,549 
  

8,578 
  

72,045 
  



Eaga Managed Programme 
  

16,131 
  

26,555 
  

22,328 
  

21,755 
  

86,769 
  



Total 
  

38,449 
  

49,155 
  

40,877 
  

33,333 
  

158,814 
  



  Note:

  *The Warm Deal commenced in July 1999 as the successor to the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme.

  Central Heating Installation Programme

  

 

2001-021


2002-03 
  

Total 
  



Local Authority Programme 
  

4,007 
  

4,1492


8,156 
  



Eaga Managed Programme 
  

3,559 
  

5,5003


9,059 
  



Housing Association Programme (managed by Communities Scotland) 
  

941 
  

1,624 
  

2,565 
  



Total 
  

8,507 
  

11,273 
  

19,780 
  



  Notes:

  1. The Central Heating Installation Programme commenced in April 2001.

  2. The local authority figure for 2002-03 includes 349 households where work was commenced, but not all the work had been completed by 31 March 2003. These 349 units have been attributed to the total for 2002-03 and will not be included in the figures for 2003-04.

  3. The figure for the Eaga managed Central Heating Installation Programme includes 800 households in which a central heating system has been installed, but other further measures, advice or inspection has still to be completed. These 800 units have been attributed to the total for 2002-03 and will not be included in the figures for 2003-04.

Central Heating Programme

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have benefited from its (a) Warm Deal initiative and (b) Central Heating Installation Programme since 1999.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Scottish Executive does not hold information on the composition of households that benefit from the Warm Deal and so cannot provide the information requested. All of the households that benefit from the part of the Central Heating Installation Programme, which is managed by Eaga, include as householder or their spouse a person aged 60 or over, but information in respect of household composition is not held for those parts of the programme managed by local authorities or Communities Scotland.

Culture

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it or any of its agencies contributed to the Burns An’ A’ That Festival 2003.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Scottish Executive, Scottish Enterprise, VisitScotland and the Scottish Arts Council have invested resources totalling £365,000 to the Burns An’ A’ That Festival in 2003.

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in particular in respect of communication with visually impaired people.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive is a Disability Symbol user and is committed to employing and retaining people with disabilities by providing reasonable adjustments to the workplace, equipment, working hours or patterns on either a permanent or temporary basis.

  Staff with a visual impairment are supplied with adaptive software, large-screen monitors and information can be provided in large type, Braille or on audio cassette.

  As part of the European Year of Disabled People, the Executive is currently undertaking a programme of initiatives to raise awareness amongst staff, including the issue of an information leaflet on disability matters and a series of information seminars on particular disabilities. A development programme for potential employees with a disability will be piloted through our Outreach Project this autumn.

  The Executive has also, for a number of years, produced alternative format publications when the subject matter affected basic rights or was specifically aimed at the disabled community. Such documents have been made available in Braille, large print and audio tape formats. Scottish Executive websites containing its publications similarly accommodate disabled users through appropriate design and accessibility and are compatible with talking browser technology.

  Employers and service providers across Scotland must also meet their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) and we expect this to be part of their normal planning process. The Executive has provided significant funding to improve access to public services, including access for disabled people. For example:

  In 2002, £36 million was allocated to the Scottish Further Education Funding Council for further education institutions in three tranches - for upgrading college equipment; for urgent estates repairs; for financial security; to comply with disability legislation in general, and to implement improvements in accessibility to comply with the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001.

  Capital investment in NHSScotland property, including IT and equipment, currently stands at £310 million and is planned to increase to £432 million by 2005-06. This investment is not targeted specifically at DDA compliance but all new facilities must comply with statutory requirements, including the DDA.

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been made available to ensure that executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Mr Andy Kerr: No central funding is specifically earmarked to help executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies comply with employment and anti-discrimination legislation, including the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA). We would expect compliance to be part of the normal planning process of the executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies concerned. Funding provided by the Executive to meet these organisation's running costs will already have been used to enable them to comply with the DDA.

  Some Executive departments have identified significant funding to improve access of all people (including disabled people) to public services. For example:

  In 2002, £36 million was allocated to the Scottish Further Education Funding Council for further education institutions in three tranches - for upgrading college equipment; for urgent estates repairs; for financial security; to comply with disability legislation in general, and to implement improvements in accessibility to comply with the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001.

  Capital investment in NHSScotland property, including IT and equipment, currently stands at £310 million and is planned to increase to £432 million by 2005-06. This investment is not targeted specifically at DDA compliance but all new facilities must comply with statutory requirements, including the DDA.

Education

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what policy guidelines it issues to local authorities regarding criteria for primary school placing requests by parents.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what national guidelines there are for local authorities on priority admissions to primary schools.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive does not issue such policy guidelines. Education authorities are under a statutory duty (set out in section 1 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980) to ensure that they make adequate and efficient provision of school education for their area. Setting criteria for the allocation of places in schools under their management and for determining priority admissions are matters to be determined by education authorities in meeting their duties under this section. Authorities can only turn down a placing request on one of the grounds set out in law.

Education

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what publicity is given to procedures for placement requests.

Peter Peacock: Section 28 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 requires each education authority to publish or otherwise make available their arrangements for the placing of children in schools under their management.

  In addition, each year the Scottish Executive publishes a guide for parents entitled Choosing a School, which includes within it information on the placing request system.

  This booklet is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/casg-00.asp.

Education

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to educate teachers on, and support them in, managing the use of medicines by pupils during school hours and during supervised extra-curricular activities.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive Education Department published best practice guidance on The Administration of Medicines in Schools on 4 September 2001. Statutory responsibility for the administration of medicines in schools lies with NHS boards. The guidance emphasises that NHS boards/trusts, voluntary organisations or other health professionals should provide basic awareness training for all education staff on the most common medical conditions affecting school-age children, and specific training for those volunteering to administer regular or emergency medication. It also stipulates that school staff should never administer medication without appropriate training from health professionals. The guidance document can be accessed at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/education/amis.pdf.

Education

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it has published regarding the storage of pupil’s medicines and first aid medicines in schools.

Peter Peacock: Guidance on the safe handling of medicines in schools is contained within chapter 7 of the guidance document The Administration of Medicines in Schools , published by the Scottish Executive Education Department on 4 September 2001. The guidance emphasises that Primary Care Trusts’ Chief Pharmacists can provide advice on the preparation of school policy on the safe handling, storage, dispensing and disposal of medicines in schools. The guidance document can be accessed at www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/education/amis.pdf .

Education

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive under what conditions proposed school closures must be referred to it for determination.

Peter Peacock: In general, it is the responsibility of education authorities to take decisions on proposals to close schools. Legislation prescribes the circumstances in which authorities cannot implement such a proposal without the consent of the Scottish ministers.

  In summary, these circumstances are where the school concerned is more than 80% full, or where the alternative school is five or more miles distant in the case of a primary school and 10 or more miles distant in the case of a secondary school from the school proposed for closure. There are further provisions concerning the circumstances in which proposals to close denominational schools are referred to ministers.

Education

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions were placed on the award of £103 million to Dumfries and Galloway Council for its proposed private public partnership (PPP) for the rebuilding and refurbishment of schools.

Peter Peacock: The conditional award on 31 March 2003 of revenue support to Dumfries and Galloway Council for a schools PPP project is subject to standard conditions that:

  the project is affordable within the limits of the revenue support awarded

  the PPP option clearly demonstrates value for money against the public sector comparator when compared on a risk adjusted whole-life basis

  the project is accounted for off the council’s balance sheet

  the Full Business Case is made publicly available, having due regard to issues of commercial confidentiality

  the Project Agreement is based on the Scottish Standard PPP Schools Contract (including compliance with the PPP Staffing Protocol published on 11 November 2002)

  the project reaches commercial close by 31 March 2006.

  At the time the conditional award was made, a pre-Invitation to Negotiate Key Stage Review by Partnerships UK of the project management was under way, and the award was, therefore, subject to an additional condition concerning completion of that process. The Key Stage Review process was completed on 29 April.

  Other normal requirements, such as planning or school closure consents, also need to be met.

Fuel Poverty

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of households living in fuel poverty contains dependent children.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Using tables on household type and differences in the proportion of income spent on energy by household characteristics in the Scottish House Condition Survey, 1996 , approximately 172,700 households with children are estimated to live in fuel poverty, out of a total of 738,000 households in fuel poverty.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government on the current General Agreement on Trade in Services negotiations.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues including the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the current General Agreement on Trade in Services negotiations will have on large and small businesses.

Mr Jim Wallace: The current General Agreement on Trade in Services negotiations, which are due to end on 1 January 2005, are aimed at improving market access for exporters of services and should therefore have a positive impact on businesses. Exports of Scottish services, which rose by 13% in 2001, have the potential to play a significant role in increasing the levels of outward trade. The Scottish Executive therefore considers that these negotiations are important and is continuing to work closely with the UK Government on this matter.

Justice

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34889 by Mrs Elish Angiolini on 31 March 2003, under what circumstances a drink-driving offence would be recorded as such by police but not reported to the procurator fiscal.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: The police should report all such offences where they consider there is corroborated evidence of the crime having been committed and of the identity of the driver.

Justice

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30312 by Mrs Elish Angiolini on 17 October 2002, how many reports to procurators fiscal were marked "no proceedings" for a reason of (a) time-bar, (b) delay by police/reporting agency, (c) lack of court resources, (d) procurator fiscal staff shortage and (e) delay by procurator fiscal in 2002-03, broken down by sheriff court district.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: The information requested is as follows:

  April 2002 to March 2003

  

 

Timebar 
  

Delay by Police/Other Agency 
  

Lack of Court Resources 
  

PF Staff Shortage 
  

Delay by PF 
  

Total "No Proceedings" 
  



Aberdeen 
  

19 
  

156 
  

0 
  

0 
  

4 
  

1,274 
  



Airdrie 
  

200 
  

2,379 
  

0 
  

0 
  

2 
  

3,564 
  



Alloa 
  

17 
  

15 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

511 
  



Arbroath 
  

1 
  

5 
  

0 
  

0 
  

3 
  

249 
  



Ayr 
  

8 
  

281 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  

868 
  



Banff 
  

0 
  

34 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

267 
  



Campbeltown 
  

0 
  

3 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

44 
  



Cupar 
  

0 
  

55 
  

0 
  

0 
  

5 
  

459 
  



Dingwall 
  

2 
  

3 
  

0 
  

0 
  

3 
  

121 
  



Dornoch 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

48 
  



Dumbarton 
  

21 
  

60 
  

0 
  

0 
  

21 
  

1,194 
  



Dumfries 
  

17 
  

39 
  

0 
  

0 
  

21 
  

464 
  



Dundee 
  

15 
  

98 
  

0 
  

0 
  

8 
  

1,093 
  



Dunfermline 
  

8 
  

62 
  

0 
  

0 
  

2 
  

1,050 
  



Dunoon 
  

0 
  

16 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

185 
  



Duns 
  

1 
  

9 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

78 
  



Edinburgh 
  

426 
  

1,208 
  

0 
  

0 
  

10 
  

5,110 
  



Elgin 
  

9 
  

54 
  

0 
  

0 
  

6 
  

476 
  



Falkirk 
  

148 
  

90 
  

0 
  

0 
  

25 
  

1,671 
  



Forfar 
  

2 
  

6 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

266 
  



Fort William 
  

0 
  

2 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

148 
  



Glasgow 
  

1,147 
  

6,776 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  

16,750 
  



Greenock 
  

22 
  

52 
  

0 
  

0 
  

3 
  

700 
  



Haddington 
  

9 
  

29 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

221 
  



Hamilton 
  

128 
  

1,184 
  

0 
  

0 
  

7 
  

2,624 
  



Inverness 
  

20 
  

136 
  

0 
  

0 
  

39 
  

913 
  



Jedburgh 
  

3 
  

5 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

172 
  



Kilmarnock 
  

17 
  

536 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

2,075 
  



Kirkcaldy 
  

43 
  

127 
  

0 
  

0 
  

12 
  

1,768 
  



Kirkcudbright 
  

1 
  

7 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

108 
  



Kirkwall 
  

0 
  

5 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

45 
  



Lanark 
  

8 
  

19 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

309 
  



Lerwick 
  

1 
  

11 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

48 
  



Linlithgow 
  

47 
  

352 
  

0 
  

0 
  

14 
  

1,490 
  



Lochmaddy 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

31 
  



Oban 
  

2 
  

17 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

158 
  



Paisley 
  

106 
  

543 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1,607 
  



Peebles 
  

3 
  

14 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  

60 
  



Perth 
  

5 
  

38 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  

657 
  



Peterhead 
  

1 
  

6 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

118 
  



Portree 
  

1 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  

18 
  



Rothesay 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

52 
  



Selkirk 
  

12 
  

29 
  

0 
  

2 
  

8 
  

252 
  



Stirling 
  

56 
  

56 
  

0 
  

0 
  

3 
  

698 
  



Stonehaven 
  

0 
  

10 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

74 
  



Stornoway 
  

0 
  

3 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

52 
  



Stranraer 
  

1 
  

16 
  

0 
  

0 
  

4 
  

268 
  



Tain 
  

1 
  

7 
  

0 
  

0 
  

2 
  

175 
  



Wick 
  

1 
  

8 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

160 
  



Total 
  

2,531 
  

14,563 
  

0 
  

2 
  

207 
  

50,743

Justice

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33923 by Mrs Elish Angiolini on 10 March 2003, how many cases have been marked "no proceedings" in 2002-03 because of a non-court disposal, broken down into warnings, conditional offers, fiscal fines and diversions from prosecution

Mrs Elish Angiolini: As indicated in the answer given to question S1W-34894 on 27 March 2003, cases in which there has been a non-court disposal are not marked "no proceedings" and do not form part of any no proceedings data provided by Crown Office. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The number of cases in which there were non-court disposals in the categories listed, broken down as requested, for the period 2002-03 are as follows:

  


Total Reports Received 
  

Cases Closed as Warnings 
  

Cases Closed as Conditional Offers 
  

Cases Closed as Fiscal Fines 
  

Cases Closed as Diversions from Prosecution 
  



306,148 
  

15, 923 
  

5,932 
  

23, 631 
  

1,116 
  



As % of Total Reports 
  

5% 
  

2% 
  

8% 
  

0.3%

Justice

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29801 by Colin Boyd QC on 7 October 2002, whether it will give a breakdown of the non-court costs for the Crown Office in 2002-03.

Colin Boyd QC: As the answer given to question S1W-29801 explained, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service records the nature of case costs, but does not attribute this to individual cases. Staff time spent on individual cases is not recorded but costing calculations are based on standard weightings derived from past analysis of staff time spent on the full range of different cases handled by the department.

  This produces a broad indication of relative costs rather than precise measures. Final figures for the year 2002-03 are not yet available but non-court costs are estimated to be as follows:

  


Non-Court Costs 
  

£000 
  



No Proceedings 
  

2,046 
  



No Further Proceedings 
  

5,021 
  



Warnings 
  

610 
  



Conditional Offer 
  

351 
  



Fiscal Fine 
  

1,556 
  



Diversion 
  

119 
  



Reporter 
  

70 
  



Transfer 
  

26 
  



Associate 
  

291 
  



Total 
  

10,090

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authority education appeals committees are compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and, in particular, with Article 6.

Peter Peacock: Education authority committees are not concerned with the determination of "civil rights and obligations or of any criminal charge" and therefore ECHR, and in particular Article 6, is not applicable. We consider that the system for dealing with cases considered by the committees, which includes the availability of a further appeal to the sheriff court, is nonetheless compatible with the requirements of the convention.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make legal aid available in respect of local authority education appeal committee proceedings.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has no plans to make legal aid available in respect of local authority education appeal committee proceedings. Legal aid is available for appeals from the committees to the sheriff court.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the most recent annual figures are for successful prosecutions under section 76 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 on selling alcoholic liquor to a drunken person and the penalties imposed, broken down by sheriffdom.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: No such prosecutions were brought under section 76 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 on selling alcoholic liquor to a drunken person during the year 2002-03. A total of nine reports of such offences were received from the police by procurators fiscal across the country.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26602 by Mrs Elish Angiolini on 30 July 2002, how many (a) reports have been sent to the procurator fiscal and (b) convictions have been obtained under sections (i) 68(1), (ii) 68(2), (iii) 68(3), (iv) 68(5), (v) 69(1), (vi) 69(2) and (vii) 70(1) of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 in 2002-03 in each sheriff court district.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: The information requested, for the period 2002-03, is as follows:

  Records indicate that no reports were sent to the procurator fiscal in respect of sections 68(5) or 70(1) of the Licensing Scotland Act during the period.

  A breakdown of the number of cases containing charges under sections 68(1), 68(2), 68(3), 68(5), 69(1) and 69(2) and the number of convictions on charges under those sections, broken down by procurator fiscal office is shown in the following table.

  It should be noted that:

  (a) It is possible that cases reported contained other charges – for different offences or under other sections of the Licensing (Scotland) Act – that resulted in convictions, which do not show up in the data provided;

  (b) The data provided does not show how many such charges were prosecuted;

  (c) The data provided does not show charges in respect of which non-court action was taken, and

  (d) Some of the cases reported during the period may not yet have reached a conclusion.

  Period 2002-03

  


Office 


S681


Conviction 


S682


Conviction 


S683


Conviction 


S691


Conviction 


S692


Conviction 


Total Reports 


Total Convictions 




Aberdeen 


2 


0 


0 


0 


4 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


6 


1 




Airdrie 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


1 


0 


1 


0 


3 


0 




Alloa 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 




Arbroath 


1 


1 


4 


1 


4 


1 


1 


0 


0 


0 


10 


3 




Ayr 


9 


4 


9 


7 


11 


6 


1 


1 


2 


0 


32 


18 




Banff 


0 


0 


0 


0 


2 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


2 


1 




Campbeltown 


0 


0 


2 


0 


1 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


3 


1 




Cupar 


0 


0 


0 


0 


2 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


2 


1 




Dingwall 


0 


0 


0 


0 


3 


3 


0 


0 


0 


0 


3 


3 




Dornoch 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 




Dumbarton 


3 


0 


0 


0 


2 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


5 


1 




Dumfries 


1 


0 


1 


0 


1 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


3 


1 




Dundee 


2 


0 


4 


0 


4 


4 


0 


0 


0 


0 


10 


4 




Dunfermline 


1 


0 


1 


0 


6 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


8 


0 




Dunoon 


1 


0 


1 


0 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


3 


0 




Duns 


0 


0 


0 


0 


2 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


2 


1 




Edinburgh 


6 


1 


2 


0 


6 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


14 


1 




Elgin 


2 


0 


0 


0 


4 


3 


0 


0 


0 


0 


6 


3 




Falkirk 


4 


0 


1 


0 


2 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


7 


0 




Forfar 


0 


0 


0 


0 


2 


2 


0 


0 


0 


0 


2 


2 




Fort William 


1 


0 


1 


0 


4 


2 


0 


0 


0 


0 


6 


2 




Glasgow 


9 


1 


5 


0 


41 


8 


0 


0 


0 


0 


55 


9 




Greenock 


2 


0 


1 


0 


3 


3 


0 


0 


0 


0 


6 


3 




Haddington 


1 


0 


0 


0 


3 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


4 


0 




Hamilton 


2 


0 


0 


0 


4 


2 


0 


0 


0 


0 


6 


2 




Inverness 


3 


0 


2 


0 


8 


3 


0 


0 


0 


0 


13 


3 




Jedburgh 


0 


0 


0 


0 


2 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


2 


1 




Kilmarnock 


12 


0 


4 


0 


10 


4 


1 


0 


0 


0 


27 


4 




Kirkcaldy 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 




Kirkcudbright 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 




Kirkwall 


0 


0 


0 


0 


2 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


2 


1 




Lanark 


1 


1 


1 


0 


2 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


4 


1 




Lerwick 


0 


0 


0 


0 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


1 


0 




Linlithgow 


1 


0 


1 


0 


1 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


3 


1 




Lochmaddy 


0 


0 


0 


0 


3 


3 


0 


0 


0 


0 


3 


3 




Oban 


1 


0 


0 


0 


2 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


3 


0 




Paisley 


3 


1 


1 


0 


3 


2 


0 


0 


0 


0 


7 


3 




Peebles 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 




Perth 


2 


0 


3 


0 


4 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


9 


1 




Peterhead 


0 


0 


1 


0 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


2 


0 




Portree 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 




Rothesay 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 




Selkirk 


2 


1 


0 


0 


2 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


4 


2 




Stirling 


2 


0 


0 


0 


5 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


7 


1 




Stonehaven 


0 


0 


0 


0 


1 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


1 


1 




Stornoway 


0 


0 


0 


0 


9 


2 


0 


0 


0 


0 


9 


2 




Stranraer 


1 


0 


2 


1 


1 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


4 


2 




Tain 


0 


0 


0 


0 


4 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


4 


1 




Wick 


0 


0 


1 


0 


1 


0 


0 


0 


0 


0 


2 


0 




Total 


76 


10 


48 


9 


174 


65 


4 


1 


3 


0 


305 


84

National Lottery Funding

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to minimise any loss to national lottery grant awards in Scotland following the announcement that lottery funding will be used to support the Olympic bid in respect of London.

Mr Frank McAveety: The UK Government has given its full backing to London’s bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympics. Scottish ministers generally welcome the bid, which, if successful, should have benefits for tourism and sport in Scotland. We will work with UK ministers to ensure that any potential loss of lottery revenue to Scotland is minimised.

  We understand that funding will be raised in the first instance by a new Olympic lottery game to be introduced by Camelot. The design of the game will seek to minimise its effect on the sales of other lottery products. Taken together with the new European lottery game, internet games and daily draws, the UK Government are hopeful of a boost to total lottery ticket sales.

Oil and Gas Industry

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the oil and gas industry about the number of job losses in the offshore contracting sector.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the oil and gas industry about a wide range of matters. We work with the sector as a whole through PILOT, the government and industry task force of which I am vice-chair, to ensure the long-term sustainability of the industry.

Ophthalmic Services

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value of claims was for low vision aids made through Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board and, of this, how much was claimed by each registered optician in the board's area in each year since 1996.

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value of claims was for hospital eye service contact lens solution made through Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board and, of this, how much was claimed by each registered optician in the board's area in each year since 1996.

Malcolm Chisholm: This is a matter for Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board as the information requested is not held centrally. However, the Chief Executive of Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board has agreed to write to you on these matters.

People with Disabilities

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will lodge a Sewel motion in respect of the Disabled People (Duties of Public Authorities) Bill seeking the consent of the Scottish Parliament for the United Kingdom Parliament to (a) legislate in a devolved area and (b) transfer powers to the Executive in respect of this matter, before the conclusion of the bill's Second Reading in the House of Commons.

Patricia Ferguson: The Executive is considering the Disabled People (Duties of Public Authorities) Bill and will advise of any Sewel motion that it intends to lodge if and when it concludes, following discussion with the UK Government, that provisions in the bill which relate to devolved matters should be recommended for extension to Scotland.

Planning

Mr Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the average length of time taken by local authorities to process planning applications, broken down by category where appropriate in each of the last 10 years.

Ms Margaret Curran: The statistics which planning authorities provide to the Executive every six months provide the basis for monitoring their performance against time thresholds and the targets set down by the Executive in paragraphs 85-87 of Scottish Planning Policy 1: The Planning System , http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/planning/spp1-00.asp . The Executive does not collect the raw data that would enable us to provide averages of time taken.

  A copy of the planning application data showing planning authority performance from 1 April 1996 to 30 September 2002 has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 27631). Prior to April 1996, data was collected from each district authority and would not therefore be comparable. Detailed statistics of recent planning authority performance are available for public scrutiny in the Audit section of the Executive's Planning website http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/Planning/audit.aspx.

Ports

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available to small trust harbours.

Nicol Stephen: Piers and harbours grants are available for the provision or development of facilities supporting marine transport in the Highlands and Islands. In practice, the demand for such support means that priority has to be given to projects intended to support lifeline ferry services.

  Grants are available for emergency work at fishery harbours and marine works. In addition, fishery harbour authorities may also apply for grants under the EU Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) regulation. FIFG offers grant aid for, inter alia, capital investment in port facilities that benefit fishery harbour users.

  Freight facility grants are also available for the provision of port facilities that are part of a project that takes lorries off Scotland’s roads.

Pre-School Education

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether children who have attended a nursery attached to a primary school should be transferred to that school or another school on reaching primary school age.

Peter Peacock: This is a matter for local education authorities. Subject to the terms of sections 28A and 28B of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, it is for the local education authority to set out and make available guidelines indicating how they will place children in schools under their management.

Race Relations

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent specific duties of local authorities and local authority joint boards under the Race Relations Act 1976 (Statutory Duties) (Scotland) Order 2002 article 2 apply to a private contractor providing a school as part of a public private partnership with such bodies.

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the specific duties of NHS boards under article 2 of the Race Relations Act 1976 (Statutory Duties) (Scotland) Order 2002 apply to a private contractor providing a hospital as part of a public private partnership with a board.

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent specific duties for educational bodies or persons under articles 3 and 4 of the Race Relations Act 1976 (Statutory Duties) (Scotland) Order 2002 apply to a private contractor providing a school as part of a public private partnership with such bodies or persons

Ms Margaret Curran: The specific duties under the Race Relations Act 1976 (Statutory Duties) (Scotland) Order 2002 apply to the public bodies specified in the relevant schedule to the order. These duties do not apply to private contractors in public private partnerships with such bodies. However, public bodies will have to comply with their statutory duties, including those imposed by the order, when entering into public private partnerships with private contractors.

  The Commission for Racial Equality is currently consulting on draft guidance for public authorities and potential contractors on procurement and race relations legislation.

Rail Network

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of any meetings it has held with Aberdeenshire Council with regard to the reopening of Laurencekirk Station.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Aberdeenshire Council on a number of rail issues in the north-east of Scotland, including the proposed reopening of Laurencekirk station.

Rail Network

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what train operating companies have indicated an interest in running the passenger rail franchise.

Nicol Stephen: A pre-qualification exercise has identified a shortlist of four companies (Arriva Trains Ltd, First Group plc, National Express Group plc and Serco Rail/Netherlands Railways) which will be invited to bid for the next Scottish passenger rail franchise.

Rail Network

Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of the Strategic Rail Authority and what issues were discussed.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Strategic Rail Authority on a wide range of issues.

Roads

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct a safety audit of the A90 junction at Muchalls with a view to providing safer road access for residents wishing to travel north.

Nicol Stephen: Each year the Scottish Executive analyses accidents across the trunk road network in order to identify and bring forward an annual programme of targeted road safety improvements. The two junctions in question will be subject to that analysis and further investigations if appropriate.

Roads

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what actions it will take following the recent deaths on the A90 in south Aberdeenshire.

Nicol Stephen: Each year the Scottish Executive analyses accidents across the trunk road network in order to identify and bring forward an annual programme of targeted road safety improvements. In addition, it receives reports on every fatal accident that occurs on the network. In the case of the recent fatal accidents on the A90 in South Aberdeenshire, it has not been possible to identify any common factors or any circumstances that could be attributed to the road layout.

Roads

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will improve safety at the three A90 junctions at Laurencekirk.

Nicol Stephen: A package of measures was recently implemented at the Marykirk section of the Laurencekirk/Marykirk junction. These improvements included the extension of a deceleration lane, anti-skid surfacing and enhancements of the signing and road markings. A CCTV camera is to be erected to observe traffic movements at both sections of the Laurencekirk/Marykirk junction. Road safety will continue to be monitored at these locations to identify whether any additional safety measures are required.

Roads

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will impose a 50 mph speed limit on both carriageways at the north Kessock junction on the A9 until work commences on reconfiguring the junction.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive has instructed BEAR Scotland Ltd to investigate and report on the safety of the North Kessock junction by the end of June 2003. This investigation has been commissioned to identify any short-term safety improvements, which includes consideration of a lower speed limit.

Roads

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when work will begin on reconfiguring the north Kessock junction on the A9.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-75 today, in which I confirmed that BEAR Scotland Ltd has been commissioned to identify any short-term safety improvements at the North Kessock junction by the end of June 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  One of the planning conditions connected with a proposed housing development at North Kessock is that a Grade Separated junction is constructed. The Scottish Executive and Highland Council have agreed in principle to contribute financially towards this developer-led scheme.

  The Executive is in discussions with the developer and Highland Council to promote this scheme.

Roads

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the funding for the Aberdeen western peripheral road will be met by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire councils.

Nicol Stephen: It was announced on 19 March 2003 that Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils would together contribute 19% towards the total costs of the Western Peripheral Route. This sum will be divided equally between the two local authorities, meaning that each will contribute 9.5% of the total costs. The remaining 81% of total costs will be funded by the Scottish Executive.

Roads

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct a review of the maintenance of roads in rural areas and publish the results of such a review, broken down by local authority area.

Nicol Stephen: Responsibility for the maintenance of non-trunk roads lies with each council as the local roads authority for each area.

  The Society of Chief Officers of Transport in Scotland is carrying out a rolling survey of the condition of all local roads on behalf of COSLA and local authorities in Scotland. The findings of the first year's survey work will be reported to these bodies in the first instance. The Scottish Executive has no proposals to carry out a review of the type referred to.

Roads

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive on what stretches of road in the south of Scotland fatal and serious road accidents have been recorded in each year since 1999.

Nicol Stephen: The Central Statistical Database contains information on the road class and number (if any), the grid reference of the locations of road accidents, local authority area and police force area.

  Figures for the numbers of accidents on individual roads can only be produced from the central statistical database in cases where the roads are of class M, A(M), A or B, and in cases where figures are sought for particular stretches (rather than their full lengths within Scotland), the start and end points are specified.

  The following table gives the number of fatal and serious road accidents by road class and number in the South of Scotland Scottish Parliament Region in each of the years from 1999 to 2001. Information for 2002 is not yet available.

  Fatal and Serious Road Accidents in South of Scotland Scottish Parliament Region

  


Road Class and Number 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  



M74 
  

18 
  

14 
  

6 
  



A74(M) 
  

1 
  

7 
  

7 
  



A1 
  

14 
  

12 
  

7 
  



A1107 
  

2 
  

2 
  

2 
  



A198 
  

3 
  

5 
  

6 
  



A199 
  

6 
  

5 
  

2 
  



A6088 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  



A6089 
  

2 
  

1 
  

1 
  



A6091 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



A6093 
  

3 
  

0 
  

1 
  



A6094 
  

2 
  

3 
  

0 
  



A6105 
  

4 
  

4 
  

3 
  



A6137 
  

1 
  

0 
  

1 
  



A68 
  

8 
  

10 
  

6 
  



A697 
  

3 
  

4 
  

2 
  



A698 
  

5 
  

4 
  

5 
  



A699 
  

1 
  

1 
  

4 
  



A7 
  

8 
  

14 
  

11 
  



A70 
  

22 
  

15 
  

19 
  



A701 
  

7 
  

9 
  

9 
  



A7010 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



A702 
  

9 
  

15 
  

12 
  



A703 
  

2 
  

5 
  

1 
  



A706 
  

6 
  

7 
  

1 
  



A708 
  

2 
  

2 
  

4 
  



A709 
  

1 
  

2 
  

3 
  



A71 
  

5 
  

4 
  

2 
  



A710 
  

2 
  

1 
  

1 
  



A711 
  

3 
  

8 
  

2 
  



A712 
  

2 
  

1 
  

3 
  



A713 
  

12 
  

7 
  

9 
  



A714 
  

0 
  

3 
  

2 
  



A716 
  

0 
  

4 
  

1 
  



A718 
  

0 
  

2 
  

3 
  



A719 
  

11 
  

13 
  

7 
  



A72 
  

7 
  

4 
  

10 
  



A721 
  

3 
  

4 
  

3 
  



A725 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



A73 
  

10 
  

4 
  

8 
  



A735 
  

1 
  

1 
  

0 
  



A736 
  

0 
  

1 
  

3 
  



A737 
  

9 
  

6 
  

5 
  



A738 
  

2 
  

1 
  

1 
  



A74 
  

6 
  

0 
  

2 
  



A743 
  

2 
  

0 
  

1 
  



A745 
  

2 
  

1 
  

2 
  



A746 
  

1 
  

1 
  

1 
  



A747 
  

0 
  

3 
  

0 
  



A748 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  



A75 
  

23 
  

19 
  

14 
  



A756 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  



A757 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  



A759 
  

2 
  

1 
  

3 
  



A76 
  

13 
  

14 
  

21 
  



A77 
  

27 
  

26 
  

20 
  



A78 
  

7 
  

4 
  

1 
  



A780 
  

5 
  

3 
  

0 
  



A781 
  

1 
  

1 
  

0 
  



A79 
  

11 
  

8 
  

4 
  



A89 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B1345 
  

1 
  

1 
  

2 
  



B1347 
  

2 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B1348 
  

3 
  

1 
  

1 
  



B1361 
  

0 
  

1 
  

1 
  



B1377 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B6350 
  

2 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B6352 
  

2 
  

0 
  

2 
  



B6355 
  

4 
  

3 
  

3 
  



B6357 
  

4 
  

2 
  

3 
  



B6358 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B6359 
  

1 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B6360 
  

2 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B6361 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B6363 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B6364 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B6365 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B6368 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B6369 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B6374 
  

1 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B6397 
  

4 
  

1 
  

1 
  



B6398 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B6399 
  

3 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B6400 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B6401 
  

2 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B6414 
  

2 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B6456 
  

1 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B6461 
  

0 
  

1 
  

3 
  



B7005 
  

0 
  

1 
  

1 
  



B7007 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B7009 
  

1 
  

0 
  

3 
  



B7011 
  

2 
  

2 
  

1 
  



B7016 
  

5 
  

4 
  

2 
  



B7017 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B7018 
  

2 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B7019 
  

1 
  

2 
  

0 
  



B7020 
  

0 
  

1 
  

1 
  



B7023 
  

1 
  

1 
  

2 
  



B7024 
  

3 
  

2 
  

1 
  



B7026 
  

1 
  

2 
  

1 
  



B7034 
  

1 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B7036 
  

0 
  

2 
  

0 
  



B7037 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B7038 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B7042 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B7045 
  

1 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B7046 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B705 
  

2 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B7052 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B7057 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B7062 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B7065 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B7076 
  

5 
  

3 
  

0 
  



B7078 
  

5 
  

7 
  

8 
  



B7080 
  

2 
  

1 
  

1 
  



B7081 
  

5 
  

2 
  

0 
  



B7083 
  

5 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B7085 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B7086 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B709 
  

3 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B710 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B711 
  

1 
  

2 
  

0 
  



B712 
  

0 
  

1 
  

1 
  



B7201 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B721 
  

1 
  

4 
  

3 
  



B722 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B723 
  

4 
  

5 
  

4 
  



B724 
  

1 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B725 
  

0 
  

2 
  

0 
  



B727 
  

0 
  

0 
  

2 
  



B729 
  

2 
  

1 
  

4 
  



B730 
  

1 
  

1 
  

4 
  



B733 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B734 
  

1 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B736 
  

0 
  

2 
  

1 
  



B737 
  

1 
  

0 
  

1 
  



B739 
  

1 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B741 
  

4 
  

2 
  

1 
  



B742 
  

6 
  

2 
  

5 
  



B743 
  

5 
  

4 
  

3 
  



B744 
  

0 
  

1 
  

1 
  



B747 
  

0 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B749 
  

0 
  

1 
  

1 
  



B769 
  

0 
  

5 
  

1 
  



B778 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B785 
  

1 
  

1 
  

0 
  



B795 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B796 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



B797 
  

1 
  

1 
  

0 
  



C Roads 
  

20 
  

18 
  

8 
  



Unclassified 
  

109 
  

115 
  

83 
  



Total 
  

549 
  

513 
  

419

Scottish Executive Staff

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of staff in (a) the Executive as a whole, (b) its Environment and Rural Affairs Department, (c) the environment group of its Environment and Rural Affairs Department and (d) Scottish Natural Heritage is not based in Edinburgh.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is provided in the following table for civil servants of the Scottish Executive and staff of Scottish Natural Heritage:

  


Scottish Executive (Core Departments) 
  

22% 
  



Environment and Rural Affairs Department (ERAD) 
  

46% 
  



ERAD Environment Group 
  

0% 
  



Scottish Natural Heritage 
  

72%

Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33862 by Lewis Macdonald on 20 February 2003, how much of the allocation of £126 million has now been paid by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency from the Scottish Transport Group (STG) pension funds surplus in ex-gratia payments to former members of the pension schemes; to how many former members such payments have now been made, and when the second tranche of payments is due to be made.

Nicol Stephen: First tranche payments totalling £80.9 million have been made to date to 11,975 former members of the STG pension schemes or their eligible dependants. The vast majority of second tranche payments, those to be made directly to bank accounts, are planned for early June.

Tourism

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its review of area tourist boards.

Mr Frank McAveety: No decision has been taken yet.

Tourism

Mr David Davidson (North East Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a compulsory registration scheme for accommodation providers.

Mr Frank McAveety: Work is under way to look at the issue of an industry-led national tourism registration scheme, but it will be some time before we are ready to assess whether such a scheme should be compulsory.

Tourism

Mr David Davidson (North East Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a compulsory quality assurance scheme for accommodation providers.

Mr Frank McAveety: Work is under way to look at the issue of an industry-led national tourism registration scheme to guarantee quality service and facilities, but it will be some time before we are ready to assess whether such a scheme should be compulsory.

Youth Crime

Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the pilot youth court in Hamilton will commence.

Cathy Jamieson: The youth court sits for the first time in Hamilton Sheriff Court today.